Policy Document Recommends The Amalgamation Of The Two Austin Stacks Clubs
The launch of the policy document “A FRAMEWORK FOR INTEGRATION,” which was researched and written by Billy Ryle, Club Vice-Chairman took place at the Austin Stacks Club, Connolly Park on Tuesday night, 18th November. Billy presented a copy of the document, which has taken the best part of a year to research, organize and write, to Éamonn O’Reilly, Chairman of Austin Stacks Hurling & Football Club and Melissa Maguire, Chairperson of Austin Stacks LGFA Club. Copies of the document were distributed at the launch.
“A FRAMEWORK FOR INTEGRATION” makes a strong recommendation that Austin Stacks Ladies Gaelic Football Association Club and Austin Stacks Hurling and Football Club should consider a complete and equal amalgamation early in 2026. The document states that while the integration of The Ladies Gaelic Football Association (LGFA) and the Camogie Association (CA) into the GAA will not be official until 2027, a preparatory run-in period of one year will be hugely beneficial for a seamless integration of the two Austin Stacks Clubs in 2027. The document recommends that a joint meeting of the members of both clubs should be held as early as possible in 2026. A formal motion should then be proposed that the two clubs would fully amalgamate for 2026 in preparation for full integration in 2027.
The document is advisory only and is not binding on either club. Billy said that club members should take time to study the recommendations and strategies that are set out in the document as change is coming fast down the tracks and only clubs that prepare for change will be ready to meet it head-on when it arrives in 2027.
Billy added that it had been a privilege and a pleasure to prepare the framework for integration of the two clubs and that he was very grateful for the manner in which club members engaged with the various stages of the project. The document, “A Framework for Integration,” will hopefully help to consolidate Austin Stacks GAA Club as a dominant force in the new GAA, when the Camogie Association and the Ladies Gaelic Football Association (LGFA) cease to exist and integrate into the GAA in 2027.
The complete document is available on the following link by CLICKING HERE
Pictured at the launch of the policy document, “A Framework for Integration”, at Austin Stacks Club, Connolly Park on Tuesday night were:
Front L/R
Billy Ryle (Author & Austin Stacks Vice-Chairman), Melissa Maguire (Chairperson Austin Stacks LGFA), Éamonn O’Reilly (Austin Stacks Chairman) & Colm Mangan (Austin Stacks Executive member)
Back L/R Gemma O Connell (Austin Stacks LGFA), Carmel Quilter O’Neill (Austin Stack Executive member), Mike Casey (Austin Stacks Executive member) and Catherine Ryan (Austin Stacks Secretary)
The late Mairéad Fernane, the first and only female Chairperson, in 2019, of Austin Stacks Hurling & Football Club